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U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA MILLER, OF HOHOKUS, JERSEYT ART OF SWEEPING CARPETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.r293,902, dated February 19, 1884.

v Application filed March 8,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EZRA MILLER, a citizen of, the United States of America, residing at Hohokus, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in the Method of Sweeping Carpets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art .to which it appertains to make and use the same.

It is a well-known fact that in the sweeping of carpets in railroad-cars-for example, the Pullman palace-car-and in well-furnished parlors in dwelling-houses, the dust arising from the sweeping will settle upon articles of. furniture-for example, cushioned chairs, lounges, &c.in the car or chamber; and to remove the dust from these articles they are usually taken out and beaten in the open air. By the employment or use of comminuted sponge, moistened or sprinkled in a proper manner over the carpet, these damaging re sults are obviated in a great measure, since the moistened sponge will arrest and absorb the dust as it rises in the sweeping, and at the same time gather up lint and other like material. Heretofore moistened tea-leaves have been used in the sweeping of carpets. substance is objectionable for the reason that tea-leaves confine the dust'in the carpet, by

- reason of the moisture, instead ofabsorbing carpets. Sawdust and tan-bark have also been used for preventing the rise of dust in sweeping of bare floors; but such materials are not adapted for carpet-sweeping.

The main object of my invention or 'discovery under consideration is to use a material or substance that will not only arrest the dust as it rises during the process of sweeping,but which at the same time will absorb or hold all the dust raised from the carpet by sweeping, thus effectually preventing it (the dust) from settling upon and injuring other articles in the room.

To carry out my invention or discovery I This take sponge, which may be of the commonest quality, and divide the same into small particles, if not already divided, but of such a ened by water, preferablyin a bucket, and is suitably distributed over the carpet to be swept. Then in the process of sweeping by the broom, which is ordinarily used with the arresterfl the particles of dust are moved forward and over the carpet, and in these movements the arrester collects the dust from the carpet. The moistened pieces of sponge, on account of their structure, form a number of cells or honey-comb chambers for the reception and storage of collected and absorbed dust, and for the same reason hold it until washed or driven out by water. The passage of these moistened pieces of sponge will also take up from the carpet lint, thread, and like material that may be on the same. The process of sweeping is thus continued until the entire carpet has been gone over, after which the particles of sponge are collected into a pile, gathered up and thrown into a vessel or bucket of water'to be washed. The dust and dirt thus washed from the particles of the sponge will settle to the bottom of the bucket. The sponge is then collected and compressed by the hand or other means until the water is removed therefrom, and then put aside for further use.

The comminuted sponge can be used almostindefinitely for the sweeping of carpets, as the particles, on account of their lightness, offer little resistance to the sweeping, and, owing to their toughness, will last a long time. a The sponge, divided or comminuted as intended and described, is compressed and put up in packages to suit the demand of the trade, and then, as its use is desired, a quantity may be detached from the package, soaked in water until the particles or pieces are eXpanded,when they are free from each other and ready to be deprived of the excess of water, and for use as already stated.

This invention has been thoroughly tested by the inventor in his own house, and has given entire satisfaction.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire I dust, lint, 850., and prevent the same from risto secure by Letters Patent, is ing, substantially as described. 10

The improvement in the art of sweeping In testimony whereof I affix my signature in carpets, the same consisting in distributing presence of two witnesses.

5 over the carpet moistened pieces of commi- EZRA MILLER.

nnted sponge, and moving the same over the \Vitnesses: Carpet by a sweeping implement, whereby the J. M. YZNAGA, said pieces of moistened sponge collect the A. G. HEYLMUN. 

